Blog

The Intibucá Project

Anne Thiess

Jr. Marketing Coordinator

Empowering Smallholders in Honduras

In the mountains of western Honduras, Intibucá is home to a collective of smallholder coffee producers who are transforming the region's coffee industry. Through ongoing collaboration and a shared commitment to quality, this group of farmers is working hard to access international markets and achieve greater economic stability.

Intibucá's high elevations, ranging from 1,600 to 1,800 meters above sea level, coupled with unique microclimates and fertile soils, create ideal conditions for cultivating high-quality Arabica coffee. The region's coffees are known for their distinct flavor profiles, featuring notes of red berries, plum, cacao, blackberries, florals, and citrus fruits. With a shared commitment to quality and collaboration, these producers are working hard to access international markets, improve their livelihoods, and gain the recognition their coffees deserve.

A Lack of Market Access

For many smallholders in Honduras, selling coffee at a fair price isn’t an option. Without the resources or scale to export directly, most producers are forced to sell to middlemen—known locally as coyotes—who pay low prices, often well below the real value of the coffee. These intermediaries consolidate coffee from multiple farmers and sell it into the internal market or abroad, usually with no traceability and zero feedback to the producers. As a result, farmers rarely know who buys their coffee, what country it ends up in, or how much it sells for. And they certainly don’t get credit for it.

Building a transparent, connected Supply Chain

The Intibucá Project is built to change that. Through our collaboration with a dedicated group of smallholders, led by Rony Gámez, we’re creating a different kind of supply chain—one that gives producers visibility, value, and a direct connection to roasters.Here is how it works:
Producers know exactly how much we’re paying per pound in USD. They’re fully informed about the costs involved—like milling and export through Choacapa, and the production support and quality control managed by Rony Gámez. They see the full breakdown, so there are no surprises—just clarity.

They also get credit for their work. Roasters know their names and farms, and often share this directly with their customers on the coffee bags. Most importantly, producers gain access to the specialty market—without having to scale up or sell out.

Rony plays a key role in this setup, managing communication and logistics, so producers can focus on what they do best: growing exceptional coffee. He takes a standard, transparent fee from each transaction with no grey areas. While payments are made in local currency, they’re fixed based on a USD price, which helps shield producers from exchange rate volatility and gives them greater financial stability.

Investing in Quality and Long-Term Impact

This isn’t a one-off. Producers are committed to specialty practices—from careful picking and processing to post-harvest improvements. They’re upgrading infrastructure like wet mills and drying beds, reinvesting profits, and improving consistency. Year after year, quality scores are climbing. As the project grows, so does its impact: more producers, more traceable lots, and more opportunity for these smallholders to earn a sustainable income from their coffee.

Intibucá Coffee Availability

Intibucá coffees tend to ripen later than other regions in Honduras, so they ship and arrive a little later too. This season’s lots are due to land in July. If you’re looking for a coffee with clarity, character, and a deeper story of impact—Intibucá should be on your list. Not only because of how it tastes, but because of how it’s traded.‍

Watch the video to see some of the faces and farms behind the Intibucá project.